1783 Montgolfier Brothers carry out the first free flight of a hot air balloon across Paris.
1804 George Cayley develops a model glider with fixed main wing and moveable tail surfaces.
1853 George Cayley's 'New Flyer' takes his footman across Brompton Dale in the first man-carrying glider.
1874 Felix du Temple carrys out the first piloted powered 'hop', after first running down a ramp.
1890 Clement Ader's Eole is the first piloted aeroplane to take off under its own power, for a brief uncontrolled hop.
1893 Otto Lilienthal makes the first true controlled flights, gliding up to 230m.
1903 Wright Brothers achieve sustained controlled powered flight at Kitty Hawk.